Deb Cherry (born August 19, 1954) is a former
Democratic member of the
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...
, representing the
26th district until she was elected
Genesee County treasurer in 2010. Her district included parts of
Genesee and
Oakland
Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...
counties. Previously she was a member of the
Michigan House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2020 ...
from 1995 to 2000.
Her brother
John D. Cherry was the
Lieutenant Governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
of Michigan, and her nephew
John Cherry III has been in the Michigan Legislature since 2019.
Background
Cherry received a Bachelor of Science degree from
Oakland University
Oakland University (OU or Oakland) is a public university, public research university in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson and husband ...
and earned a
Master of Public Administration
A Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a specialized professional graduate degree in public administration that prepares students for leadership roles, similar or equivalent to a Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the ...
from
University of Michigan-Flint
A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...
.
Political career
Cherry's interest in politics began in high school when she joined a non-partisan student group. Before being elected into the legislature, Cherry worked with the Valley Area Agency on Aging where she managed grants and worked to find funding for various agency services. She also served on the Genesee County Commission for six years, where she represented the 3rd District, and was Commission Chair for 3 years. As of 2007, Cherry was Chairwoman of the Greater Flint Health Coalition, a member of the Michigan Fitness foundation, the Michigan Prospect and IMA Board, as well as is an honorary member of the Genesee County Board.
There was speculation that she might run for Congress in 2012.
References
External links
Senator Cherry's HomepageThe Cherry Reportwith guest Linda Hamacher
Floor Statementsvideo clips
Project Vote Smart - Senator Deborah Cherry (MI)profile
*''Follow the Money'' - Deborah Cherry
200620042002200019981996
campaign contributions
Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus
Michigan Liberal - SD26
Blogging for Michigan
Sen. Cherry: Michigan Kids, Legislature Both Need to Shape Up
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cherry, Deborah
Democratic Party Michigan state senators
Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives
1954 births
Living people
County treasurers in Michigan
County commissioners in Michigan
Oakland University alumni
University of Michigan–Flint alumni
People from Dowagiac, Michigan
Women state legislators in Michigan
20th-century American women politicians
21st-century American women politicians
20th-century members of the Michigan Legislature
21st-century members of the Michigan Legislature